


hopeless

by nekrateholic



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-14 17:42:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20604743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nekrateholic/pseuds/nekrateholic
Summary: Changbin's date-planning skills could probably use some help, honestly. A new set of friends would be great too.





	hopeless

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bitsori](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bitsori/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Unassuming](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17665823) by [bitsori](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bitsori/pseuds/bitsori). 

> oh my god where do i start. i love your fic so much!! it was just Love At First Sight skjd ;; thank you so much for letting me play in your sandboxes you're amazing 
> 
> this... was supposed to be a pov change. then i realized they're together for most of the fic so that would've been boring. so i gender-switched them. which didn't help. so now you have a gender-switched pov and sort-of-au change?? i hope you like it! <33    
also i.. may or may not have borrowed Some Things from another fic of yours orz

Changbin has been standing in front of the mirror in her bathroom for approximately ten minutes now. Approximately six of those minutes were spent staring at her phone, which is currently sitting, lifeless, on the shelf holding her hair products. If she stares long enough, maybe she’ll prompt it to light up?

Half of Changbin’s makeup bag is strewn on and, for some of her shadow palettes, _ in  _ the sink. 

She finally tears her eyes from the phone, locking them on her reflection instead. She has a bit of splotchy concealer slapped around her eyes. There’s also an eyeliner trace, running across her eyelid and down to her cheekbone, courtesy of her own hand when realization hit her approximately seven minutes ago.

“Seo Changbin, you dumb lesbian,” she tells her reflection.

Changbin takes a deep breath, then finally goes about cleaning up the smudged eyeliner. It’s well into the afternoon already and trying out looks for tonight sounded great until she remembered she doesn’t actually have her date’s number.

She’d been so caught up in the experience that is Hwang Hyunjin’s face and oh god, her laugh and- her general existence? And she said yes, and here Changbin is, resisting the intense urge to bang her head against the mirror because she  _ forgot to get her number. _

The phone remains silent. 

Changbin wonders if Hyunjin realized this - that she’s the only one able to get in touch because Changbin is  _ dumb  _ and… if she hasn’t. What then? 

Or worse: she has her number but she doesn't  _ want to _ get in touch. 

“You’re an idiot,” she tells her reflection again. Hyunjin seemed excited to agree and Changbin’s pretty sure she’s not mean enough to intentionally stand her up.

But  _ what if. _

The phone buzzes on the shelf and Changbin almost brains herself on the sink in her haste to get to it.

Turns out, it’s just Jisung. Of course. By the time Changbin opens the first message, the thread has acquired several more.

**10.31 04:11 PM**

handsomej: i heard that mall near you is holding a horror movie marathon :))))) 

handsomej: and A Certain Someone will b there?

handsomej: yknow me n minho havent seen you in so long

handsomej: sooooooooooooo long noona

Changbin feels a weird cloud of doom settling around her. She pulls up her keyboard, furiously typing in the hopes that the disaster has not evolved beyond preventing yet. They don’t even  _ like  _ horror movies, goddamn it.

**10.31 04:12 PM**

babybeanie: no!!! 

babybeanie: HAN JISUNG DONT U DARE

The next messages, funnily enough, are from Minho. 

**10.31 04:12 PM**

leeminh01025: sorry we already have tickets 

leeminh01025: see you around 10?

Changbin resists the urge to throw her phone across the room. The poor device doesn’t deserve it. She doesn’t deserve friends like Jisung and Minho either, but that’s another thing entirely. 

Instead, because she’s a grown ass woman, Changbin stuffs the phone under her pillow and decides the rest of the world doesn’t exist for the foreseeable future. The world doesn’t seem to agree if the constant buzzing of her phone is anything to go by but Changbin determinedly ignores the urge to check it. Minho and Jisung can go fuck themselves.

She decides to busy herself with picking an outfit instead. Read: destroying her closet from the inside out. There’s a lot of things she regrets right now, the first, of course, being not getting Hyunjin’s number. But there’s also this: they never talked about outfits. Will Hyunjin dress up? It is, technically, Halloween. It’s not a holiday either of them celebrates and people rarely dress up for marathons anyway… Changbin grits her teeth. No dressing up. She’ll be pretty and maybe go a bit harder on makeup and hope for the best.

At this rate, it’s not clear if she even has a date with Hyunjin but oh well. Worst case scenario, she’ll look hilariously overdressed next to Jisung and Minho.

*

Almost an hour and three separate piles of  _ Nope  _ clothes later, Changbin decides it’s safe to finally look at her phone. She needs the break anyway.

What she doesn’t need is the mini-heart attack upon seeing the number of messages. The rant Jisung (and by extension Minho) are about to experience is already running through her mind when she notices: sure, there are a bunch of notifications from Jisung, some from the group chat. One from Minho. But they’re not the only ones.

Oh.

_ Oh. _

**10.31 04:23 PM**

hj320: um hi

hj320: changbin-ssi?

hj320: this is hyunjin btw

hj320: u know, from the library?

hj320: haha was just wondering if we were still up for tonight?

hj320: i mean for the movie thing

hj320: marathon?

hj320: whatever they call it 😅

Changbin blinks twice at her screen. She allows herself a moment to absorb what she’s seeing and another to judge herself for missing the notifications. Then she scrambles to reply.

And, to her horror, Hyunjin actually does look at her phone, unlike her.

**10.31 05:01 PM**

babybeanie: hey sry 4 the l8 reply

babybeanie: i realised i didnt get ur id so i had to w8 4 u to msg lol

babybeanie: but yea? wr still good 2 go if u still wanna go w me

babybeanie: no need 2 worry abt tix btw alr got em

babybeanie: oh! but if u were msging 2 cancel dont wry abt it either haha

hj320: ah no!

hj320: im still up 4 tonight definitely!

babybeanie: ok cool

And this is the exact moment Changbin has an epiphany. Minho said ten. That’s when the first movie starts. Except nothing stops Changbin from meeting with Hyunjin earlier. Making it too early would probably look weird but an hour definitely won’t hurt. A whole hour where she’ll have her dream date-

**10.31 05:07 PM**

babybeanie: 9pm by the entrance?

hj320: sounds gr8

hj320: see u then

babybeanie: cant w8!

Okay. Okay cool. Now all Changbin has to do is get ready. And be there at nine. And  _ get ready. _

Oh god.

*

It’s nearly eight already and Changbin finds her plan to get there before the disaster gays sounded a lot better in her head. Her hair is mostly obedient at this point and her makeup is done which is progress. She’s currently attempting to figure out the straps of this stupid plaid dress which just  _ refuses  _ to cooperate. It looked so much easier to put on when she bought it. They keep getting tangled in her shirt she has underneath and it looks all bunched up and awful. She sighs, probably for the fiftieth time today, before she looks at herself in the mirror again. It’s not bad. She looks rather cute, really, which is what she wanted in the first place. If only the stupid straps would  _ behave. _

She hasn’t told Hyunjin about Jisung and Minho either. The thing is, Changbin put this off in the hopes of convincing the two to, well, not come. Then she wouldn’t need to worry about telling Hyunjin at all. Of course, a few furious spam wars later, all she’s achieved is hopefully postponing disaster couple’s arrival by maybe fifteen minutes. If she’s very lucky, they won’t let them into the cinema, not for the first movie, at least. Small victories.. 

(Or huge - considering that amidst Changbin’s suggestions-threats-pleas not to come, Jisung had decided it would be a great idea for them to arrive  _ early.) _

Changbin sighs, yet again. Time to face the music.

**10.31 05:12 PM**

babybeanie: hyunjin?

babybeanie: hey i’ve got a problem

hj320: oh! r we off for tonight?

babybeanie: no. no way!

babybeanie: but uh a bunch of some friends fr back home suddenly msgd me

babybeanie: they say they wanted to go tonight too

babybeanie: and they alr got tix

babybeanie: is it ok if we hang out w them for a couple of hrs?

hj320: oh unnie

hj320: it’s no prob haha

babybeanie: im so so sry

babybeanie: ill make it up 2 u i promise

babybeanie: ure the best (:

It’s getting close to eight-thirty when Changbin finally looks up from her phone. It’s a little concerning that Hyunjin’s first thought is that the date is cancelled but Changbin hasn’t decided if this is because she hasn’t made herself clear enough or… Hyunjin doesn’t really want to go?

_ Excited, she was excited, _ Changbin repeats to herself. Hyunjin’s smile when Changbin asked her out has yet to vacate her mind. Not like she wants it to, anyway.

If only it weren’t for those assholes.

But Changbin will be seeing Hyunjin’s smile in person very soon, so she laces up her sneakers and heads out. Being late for the first date gives a terrible impression.

*

A traffic jam and some very un-ladylike words later, Changbin is, indeed, late. Not only that, but her already less than obedient hair is ruined by sprinting to the mall’s entrance. She can see Hyunjin just standing there, to the side, looking at her phone and it’s horrible. Fifteen minutes isn’t all that much in the grand scheme of things but first dates? Great impression you left there, Seo Changbin.  _ Stupid traffic. _

She sees Hyunjin before Hyunjin sees her which gives gives Changbin a moment to just… appreciate this. Hwang Hyunjin agreed on a date with her and Hwang Hyunjin stayed and waited without once complaining about where the hell Changbin is, even if it would’ve been a hundred percent justified.

She taps Hyunjin’s shoulder when she’s close enough and Hyunjin almost jumps.

“Uh, sorry,” Changbin mutters. “I’m really sorry, there was traffic and everything-” She bites her lip. Excuses don’t really matter, in the end. “I’m so, so sorry. Did you wait long?”

Hyunjin blinks at her for a couple of seconds, then shakes her head, smiling. “Not really, it’s fine. I got here a few minutes ago myself.”

Changbin ties not to let the relief show on her face too much. She’s about to apologize again when she looks at Hyunjin,  _ really  _ looks at her.

She’s not in costume which is great for making Changbin not look like an idiot. She is, however, dressed in jeans and a plain black shirt, a plaid shirt over it. The red is a bit different than Changbin’s dress and the pattern is not the same either but it’s similar enough. (There’s also a choker going on. It’s thin and black with a small hoop at the front and Changbin fears that if she allows herself to glance at it a second time she might just drop dead, right there on the pavement.)

“We match!” She blurts out, enjoying the way Hyunjin’s eyes go wide when she looks her up and down. “Like a couple.”

This gets Changbin a reaction she enjoys even more. Hyunjin flushes, tugging at her shirt. It’s so goddamn cute, Changbin wants to scream. What’s even funnier is that usually... well, usually Changbin is the one with the boyish clothes and Hyunjin is all pretty smiles and pretty dresses and pretty in general. Changbin finds she quite enjoys this turn of events.

“What about your friends?” Hyunjin asks, right as Changbin turns to go inside.

Right. Friends. “They’ll come later,” she says, offhand. “They can handle themselves, don’t worry. We definitely don’t need to wait for them.”

That was the whole point. Stupid, stupid traffic. Changbin can feel her alone time with Hyunjin trickling away like sand in an hourglass.

As they walk into the mall, Hyunjin moves a tad bit closer. It’s nowhere as full as it is when there’s a major sale going on but there are quite a lot of people anyway. Quite a lot of them are in costumes, too. There seems to be a kids show that’s wrapping up, a bunch of what seems to be first graders running around in fairy wings and wizard hats. 

They try to side-step the whole kid mess as much as possible but a little boy still bumps into Hyunjin’s legs. His mom hurries to pull him away, apologizing profusely as the boy stares up at Hyunjin in awe. He apologizes too when his mom prompts him to but Hyunjin waves them both off.

She’s smiling, which makes Changbin smile as well. It’s such a lovely sight Changbin kind of wants to tell her all the cheesy things but… later. If Changbin plays her cards right they’ll have all the time in the world.

*

The annoying part of attending a rather popular event, especially for younger people, is that apparently half of Changbin’s acquaintances have also decided to show up. Having a lot of friends sounds great when you’re feeling lonely, except Hyunjin doesn’t seem to know any of them. She tries to take part in the conversation and Changbin does her best to include her, except in the end, Hyunjin always ends up quiet, half a step further than she was before.

“We could go with them, if you want to,” Hyunjin mumbles eventually, after yet another of Changbin’s classmates has shown up to say hi.

“Nonsense,” Changbin frowns, reaching for Hyunjin’s hand again. “I came here with you, didn’t I? Why would I want to go with someone else.” 

Changbin grips her hand a tad bit tighter, pulling her away from a group of… Naruto characters?

Hyunjin stares at them as well. “Isn’t Halloween supposed to be scary? Not, like, cosplay?”

The group passes and it takes a moment for the position they’re in to click in Changbin’s brain. She has a hand around Hyunjin’s waist, pulled close to avoid being stepped on (or hit by multiple plush tails? At least it’s not all nine of them). But the result is this: Hyunjin, pulled close. With Changbin’s hand around her waist. If they didn’t look like a couple before, they sure do now. Hell, Changbin can see a few of her friends staring.

Hyunjin appears to realize the situation as well, because she jumps away, almost like she’s been burned. She’s also blushing? 

Changbin feels her insides  _ melt. _ She clears her throat. “So, are you hungry?”

“Not really,” Hyunjin says offhand. She seems to forget she was trying to keep her distance two seconds ago, because she’s within Changbin’s bubble again. Changbin uses the moment to lace their fingers again. To her credit, Hyunjin only freezes for about half a second. “We can eat if you want to, though!”

Changbin does, indeed, want to. She stayed up late and didn’t have much of a breakfast this. Well, this afternoon. Then the whole Jisung-Minho drama happened, then frantically getting ready.

She only hopes her stomach won’t betray her as she says, “It’s totally fine! We can leave food for later, the food court will be open late tonight.”

They’ll probably have popcorn, too. Changbin will be _ fine. _

Speaking of.

“Hey,” Hyunjin tugs at her wrist, pointing at the queue that spreads all the way from the ticket counters to the escalators. “Maybe we should get going? Before all these people hit the popcorn.”

She’s right. Changbin knows this, but at the same time having Hyunjin all to herself is an addicting feeling.

“Let’s go,” she says in the end. They do need to get to the popcorn before it’s over. Even if it means an end to solo Hyunjin time. It’s fine. At least Jisung and Minho aren’t here yet. Small mercies.

*

So apparently Hyunjin knows the pretty cashier. No, scratch that, they _ live together. _ It’s fine. Changbin is fine.

“How’s work going?” Hyunjin asks after she’s introduced them. Seungmin, The Roommate, gives Changbin a curious look.

“It’s fine,” she shrugs, then points to the other guy in uniform, currently serving a couple who both seem… well. Enamored is one word for it. “Felix here has been charming every single customer into buying half our supplies. I can barely keep up with restocking.”

Her voice is soft, almost fond, and Changbin feels the irrational jealousy subside. She even smiles back.

Felix rings up his customers and bounds to them. “You guys want popcorn?”

“Yup,” Hyunjin grins, then reaches for her wallet. 

Changbin is faster, though. “Just make it a double menu,” she says, expertly ignoring Hyunjin’s stunned expression.

It’s a little hard balancing the giant bucket of popcorn and the drinks and the tickets but Changbin stubbornly refuses to let Hyunjin help. She’s aiming for the perfect date, here. Except Hyunjin doesn’t seem to care, because eventually she just grabs the drinks from Changbin’s hands, leaving her to find her balance again.

“You don’t need to play hero,” Hyunjin tuts. She looks away a second later, so adorably flustered Changbin has a hard time not cooing out loud.

Now that she has a hand free, she loops it around Hyunjin’s elbow. “Yes, you’re totally right. Now I have my hands free for more important things. Anyway,” she adds, before Hyunjin has the time to react. “Wanna go find our seats?”

Hyunjin just nods, but Changbin is delighted to notice she doesn’t try to move away.

*

The first movie is The Mimic, and Changbin actually wanted to see that one. Except once the ads are over and the movie properly starts, it becomes quite clear Hyunjin isn’t used to horror movies. She’s way less dramatic about it than Jisung can be, but she does hide behind the popcorn. She hides her face in Changbin’s shoulder, too, and while Chanbin  _ had  _ been excited about the movie, she ends up not watching a single second of it but enjoying the time anyway.

Hyunjin doesn’t share the sentiment, if her scrunched up eyes are anything to go by. 

“We can skip the next two,” Changbin suggests on their way out of the screening room. She doesn’t want to, but more than that she doesn’t want Hyunjin uncomfortable. She glances at the digital clock mounted on one of the walls. Just after midnight. “It’s getting pretty late, too.”

“It’s a little late to turn into a pumpkin now, don’t you think?” Hyunjin giggles. Changbin suppresses a dreamy sigh. Jisung is probably rubbing off on her. But Hyunjin’s mood is infectious, and Changbin laughs along.

“Halloween is over, technically,” she says conspiratorially. “It’s safe for pumpkins now. I’ll keep your secret.” 

Hyunjin full on laughs this time, and Changbin feels irrationally proud of herself. “I wish it was socially acceptable to go ask strangers for candy like when we were young too. All the candy we missed out on.”

“Okay, but think about it,” Changbin says, eyeing the confectionary booth on the other side of the floor. “Now that we’re old it’s socially acceptable to receive chocolate on Valentine’s instead. No effort needed, either.”

“Except that you have to be pretty. And super popular.” Hyunjin glances at Changbin, then away. “With all those people earlier I bet you get a lot of chocolates on 14th.”

“Sure,” Changbin shrugs. “All friendly chocolate.”

“Same,” Hyunjin sighs. Changbin isn’t inclined to believe her, really. Hyunjin is gorgeous in every way possible and while physically is only one of them, it’s… very obvious. Changbin often finds herself staring. Like  _ now,  _ apparently, because the next thing that comes out Hyunjin’s mouth is, “Is there something on my face?”

Changbin blinks. Go big or go home. “Beauty,” she blurts out before she can talk herself out of it.

Hyunjin only stares at her, frozen.

“Gotcha there, huh,” Changbin says, channeling all the cool she has. Dumb pick up lines weren’t exactly what she’d had in mind when thinking about this date but… oh well. Hyunjin’s expression doesn’t change much, so Changbin soldiers on, “I’m really glad you came tonight. It’s been a lot of fun.”

This finally softens Hyunjin’s eyes, and that blush that has been creeping up her cheeks for the majority of the night is there again. “It has been fun, yeah. Thanks for inviting me.”

Changbin couldn’t stop staring even if she wanted to.

*

Her phone rings right as they’re finally at the front of the queue for skewered grilled chicken. Changbin doesn’t need to look at her phone to know who it is and she’s not in a hurry to answer either, but her ringtone is loud and obnoxious, so she hurries to pay for the food and goes to pick up.

Hyunjin just shoos her away when she turns to explain where she’s going. Just as well. Changbin puts her phone on silent, then hurries towards the confectionary booth, the crowd swallowing her up almost immediately.

It’s only after the cute little cellophane wrap with chocolate kisses is safely tucked away in her bag that she finally calls Jisung back.

*

Changbin regrets her entire existence the second Han Jisung sets eyes on Hyunjin.

“So _ you’re  _ Hyunjin.”

Jisung’s grin is huge and friendly, except Changbin has known him long enough. 

Hyunjin, bless her, just looks confused. “Yeah?”

“Nice to meet you,” Minho says. His voice does that thing where you hear the words he’s saying but know there’s a world of meaning behind them. 

Changbin covers her face with a hand. God, she needs new friends.

“Anyway,” she announces, before the two idiots ruin any potential chances of Hyunjin agreeing to date her. “You two want food? Because the second movie’s about to start soon.” 

“Yep, food, definitely,” Jisung agrees, already distracted by the food court as a whole. 

Minho glances at him, then shakes his head, turning back to Changbin. “Can you tell we ate already?”

But Jisung is already off in search for food, so follows him, this stupidly fond expression on his face. Changbin notices Hyunjin looking after them curiously.

“They’ve been dating for a couple years now,” she says, startling Hyunjin out of her thoughts. “They’re cute when they don’t make me question my life choices.” she narrows her eyes, because right about now Jisung is giving her A Look from two dozen people over. “Then again, that seems to be the case most of the time.”

“Oh,” Hyunjin blinks, looking at Jisung and Minho, then at Changbin.  _ “Oh.” _

There’s a giddy feeling bubbling up in Changbin’s gut. She reaches for Hyunjin’s hand again, leading her to a slightly less crowded area. “Why do you sound so pleased about it?”

“What?” Hyunjin blurts, resolutely staring something over Changbin’s head. “Nonsense, I was just surprised. Anyway, isn’t it time for the second movie already?”

Changbin blinks, the giddy feeling doubling. Maybe Jisung and Minho’s intrusion wasn’t all that bad after all.

*

They had a total of three choices for the second movie, and it seems most of the people doing the marathon selected one of the other two. The screening room isn’t empty per se, but there are plenty of seats left. There’s a couple cuddling in their seats and Changbin fully intends to kick them out, except Hyunjin just tugs her away, towards the back rows.

“I’m going to be embarrassingly scared anyway,” she whispers once they’ve tucked themselves in a seat on the far left of the last row. “Might as well avoid the audience.”

There are a million thoughts running through Changbin’s head. Most of them? Probably highly inappropriate. There is a hundred and one ways the last row of the movies can be dangerous and some Changbin has even experienced, except-

Except Hyunjin is special. She deserves better. She deserves the _ best. _

(And while Changbin has no intention of doing anything inappropriate, she’s very relieved to see Minho dragging Jisung towards the other end of the row. He was definitely headed their way, the little shit.)

*

From what Changbin remembers about the second movie, it was supposed to be the slightly less scary option. After seeing it, her knowledge about the plot hasn’t improved much, however. Hyunjin was, once again, mostly hiding (behind Changbin) which was… sufficiently distracting.

They lose Jisung and Minho on their way out but Changbin’s in no hurry to find them.

She’s on a mission. 

She leads Hyunjin towards the other side of the floor where there’s a cluster of benches, conveniently placed between some of the big-name shops. The shops are long closed and the food court is on its way too, so there aren’t that many people milling about. 

Hyunjin gives her a curious look, but doesn’t question it when Changbin gestures for her to sit.

“You know,” she starts, not waiting for Changbin to launch into whatever speech she had planned. Damn it. “You’re really different than what I thought.”

This makes Changbin pause. “Really? Different how?”

“Well, you’re kinda popular?” Hyunjin mutters sheepishly. “You’re kinda intimidating at the library and people don’t go out of their way to talk to you, you know? But you were always so nice to me, I thought...”

Changbin bites back a smile. It’s hard, really. “Did you think you’re special, Hyunjinnie?”

Hyunjin blinks at her, “I just,” she starts, her face going through several complicated emotions before finally settling on regret.

“You were right,” Changbin smiles, not a trace of humor in her voice. Teasing Hyunjin might be fun but making her feel bad in the process? No, thanks. “You are very, very special.” 

This is it. This is the  _ moment.  _ The proverbial butterflies are kicking up a storm in her stomach and she’s so, so ready let Hyunjin know just how special she is. “I got you something,” Changbin says, carefully taking out her treasure and unwrapping the cellophane-

“Oh, chocolate,” an annoyingly familiar voice says somewhere to her left, an even more familiar hand reaching out to snatch one of the kisses straight from Changbin’s hand.

Changbin grits her teeth, aiming the deadliest of death glares at one Han Jisung, now more than ever questioning her goddamn life choices. Minho looks apologetic at least, and Hyunjin seems torn between confusion and amusement, so it’s not a  _ complete  _ disaster.

Still a disaster, though.

Jisung looks between the two of them on the bench with an expression that looks so genuinely confused, Changbin is a hundred percent sure it’s fake. “I’m sorry, did we interrupt something?”

“Yes-” Changbin starts the same time Hyunjin says,

“No, it’s fine!” She looks at Changbin, startled, then back at Jisung. “Really, it’s fine.” She’s toying with the edges of her shirt and Changbin is not entirely sure why she notices but what she’s sure of is that Hyunjin wasn’t doing that two seconds ago.

She does reach for one of the chocolate kisses Jisung has managed to not snatch from her though, so Changbin counts it as a win.

*

There are even less people for the third movie, even if their choice was among the more popular ones. Not popular for the right reasons, sure, but popular still. 

It seems most of the people old enough to be awake at this hour have moved on to a different kind of celebrations and there are maybe twenty people tops left in the theater. Jisung and Minho take a row ahead of them, a little to the left and from their seat. Changbin can see Jisung nodding off on Minho’s shoulder. It’s kind of adorable.

Hyunjin looks sleepy too, which makes something in Changbin’s gut twist, not unpleasant. She doesn’t fall asleep, though. Instead, they keep a running commentary of the movie in hushed whispers, pointing out every dumb choice the director made and all the shitty special effects. The whole thing looks to be a rather low-budget production this time, which helps a lot. 

Changbin is not entirely sure if Hyunjin is using this as a way to distract herself from the horror elements, shitty as they are, or to try not to fall asleep. Either option is equally plausible and Changbin is happy to help no matter what the reason is.

When the movie is finally over, Changbin is glad to be out in the open again but she does miss having Hyunjin huddled close, talking in her ear.

Luck isn’t on their side this time, because they’ve barely taken ten steps out of the screening room when Jisung wedges himself between them. Changbin forces herself not to accidentally kick him in the shins. Minho probably wouldn’t be too happy about that.

“I think I slept through most of the movie, honestly,” he says cheerily, like anyone  _ asked. _

“I mean,” Changbin starts, careful not to let the frustration seep into her voice, “it is pretty late. Aren’t you sleepy? You live pretty far, too.”

Jisung raises an eyebrow. He’s still sleep-soft, though. It doesn’t look as annoying as it could be. At least until the next words leave his mouth. “It’s almost if you want us gone faster.”

“Baby,” Minho intervenes. Changbin thanks whatever is above that he doesn’t seem to be in the mood to join in on the joke this time. “It really is late.”

He only gets a sigh in response but Jisung does move away which is a great plus.

Finally,  _ finally  _ Jisung and Minho bid their goodbyes, even if Jisung is being a little shit until the very end. He whispers something to Hyunjin as he hugs her goodbye and Changbin can’t hear the words but she can see Hyunjin’s eyes going wide.

“How are you two going home?” Minho asks, eyeing the two of them. “Want us to call you a cab as well?”

“Nah,” Changbin replies before Hyunjin has the chance to. “I’ll just walk her home. We live in the same direction anyway.”

She wants to ask about what they talked about, gives Jisung A Look, except they run off with the excuse their cab is there before she has the chance to.

“You’re gonna walk me home?” Hyunjin asks once they’re finally, finally alone. She doesn’t quite meet Changbin’s eyes. She doesn’t resist Changbin lacing their fingers together, though.

“It’s late,” Changbin shrugs. She checks her phone and - oh well. Almost five in the morning. “Or early, I guess.”

It’s that time when it’s not quite light enough to call it day already but it’s not dark enough to be night either. The sun is peeking out, not quite ready for sunrise yet. There’s just  _ something  _ about this time of the day. Changbin feels like all her dreams are just an arm’s length away.

“I’m really sorry about my friends,” she sighs eventually. “I wanna say they’re not usually like this but I don’t like lying.”

This makes Hyunjin giggle, and Changbin gives herself a mental pat on the back. “They’re cute,” she says, swinging their hands a little. It doesn’t seem like a conscious thing and Changbin isn’t about to point it out. “I like them. I’m glad I got to meet them.”

“Don’t tell them that,” she says, only half joking. “Really though, I’m glad. Even though they’re assholes. They know I like you so they decided it’s a great idea to see me suffer firsthand.”

Hyunjin stops in her tracks, turning to stare at Changbin. She meets her eyes this time, Changbin can’t help but notice. “What?”

“My friends are assholes?” Changbin asks. The confusion probably shows on her face, because she furiously shakes her head.

“No, the other thing!”

“That...” Hyunjin is still staring at her expectantly. Changbin replays the words in her head. “That I like you?  _ Oh.”  _ But Hyunjin still won’t look away and suddenly Changbin feels very, very silly. “Oh my god, Hyunjinnie. I thought you knew? I thought I was being obvious, I’m sorry.”

“I’m special,” Hyunjin echoes, tone disbelieving. “So this really was a date, then?”

Oh well. Go big or go home. Changbin figures it’s a little late for the second one now.

“I kinda spent four hours freaking out in front of my mirror today,” she admits. “And some time trying to persuade the disaster gays not to come. Look how that worked out.”

“A date,” Hyunjin mutters finally looking away. And now that she has, she can’t seem to meet Changbin’s eyes again. “I just… couldn’t figure out why? You’d like me of all people?”

It’s Changbin’s turn to stare, except Hyunjin still isn’t meeting her eyes. She lets go of her hand, just to grab both of Hyunjin’s this time. “Why? You’re just so… cute?” Hyunjin flinches at that, almost imperceptible. Changbin squeezes her hands tighter. “But more than that, you’re so sweet and funny and have these adorable little habits? And you’re so focused on the things you do, and… You’re so, so special,” she finishes lamely. 

In her defence, it wasn’t supposed to go like this. She was supposed to be all smooth and cool and Hyunjin was supposed to be smitten. And  _ aware  _ that Changbin is too. But so many things today went so different from how Changbin imagined them - and yet, here they are. Hyunjin’s hands in hers, just in time for the sunrise.

“I’m sorry,” she says again. Hyunjin doesn’t seem to have trouble holding eye contact now. “I should’ve made it more clear. “I like you, and I want to get to know you better, if that’s okay?”

“I’d like that, ”Hyunjin mutters. Her cheeks have that pretty pink hue again and Changbin finds it’s even prettier in the early morning light.

“Okay, good.” Changbin breathes a sigh of relief, all the nerves leaving her in a fit of giggles. “I’ll definitely make sure you know you’re going on a date next time. And that there are no friends intruding this time.”

“Okay,” Hyunjin nods, her own giggles mixing in with Changbin’s. “I’d like  _ that  _ even more.” 

*

**11.01 01:32 PM**

babybeanie: hey i just woke up

babybeanie: and thought of u immediately

babybeanie: did u have a good night’s sleep?

hj320: hey unnie!

hj320: i woke up around an hr ago

hj320: sleep was nice

hj320: how was urs?

babybeanie: terrible

hj320: oh no why

babybeanie: i didn’t dream of u

hj320: ah… kkkkk

babybeanie: but then i woke up and realised smth

hj320: what was that?

babybeanie: that i don’t need to dream of u

babybeanie: bc i can just see u if i wanted to

babybeanie: maybe?

babybeanie: can i? see u tonight?

babybeanie: it doesn’t need to be valentine’s day for us to be disgustingly cute together ;)

**Author's Note:**

> all the thanks to **B** and **I** as always bc i don't remember how to exist w/o them at this point. and to everyone who sprinted with me, i love you all <3


End file.
